All Mapped Out
by Sen-TS
Summary: Time flies fast when you're avoiding revision. With their last year at Weston College being eaten away by the fear of failing final exams, Edward and Cheslock struggle to keep a hold on the friendships that they've taken for granted. Though, maybe the two of them weren't ever supposed to be just friends to begin with.


The day before the Autumn half term, Edward packed his bags with trashy shirts, toiletries and, lactose intolerance meds for a friend that would surely forget them. He was sure that he was more responsible than the twenty-something other boys who had been dragged onto the trip as well.

Frankly, Edward had had enough of Cheslock and Clayton's faces - Soma was acceptable. Being stuck with them for the holidays was just his luck. So between the threat of mock exams the second they returned and their childlike anticipation, holiday plans were instead disrupted by a school trip. By the time that the last nine hours of classes had passed, the boys were thrown onto a coach bound for the airport.

Cheslock planted his face against the coach window, shifting with every jolt and jump over each road hump. He might as well have been a windshield wiper with how much fog his cheeks wiped away from the glass.

The privileges of prefecthood (and Soma's whining) allowed them the honorary 'dibs' of the back seats, despite the fact that the most sensible thing would be for the boys to be placed separately, keeping an eye on the younger lads who'd surely be throwing packets of Space Raiders without a Big Brotherly watch on them - for responsibility's sake. And for responsibility's sake, it would've been better to separate the lot of them.

"This is all your fault." Clayton's elbow jabbed Soma's side, launching him into the unfortunate soul on his right.

With five seats occupied by the four lads who couldn't keep their mouths shut, the sad lad on the very right was held prisoner by Clayton's unfortunately lanky legs in the middle and Soma's obnoxious sitting position. Giving his apologies, Soma turned back to the conversation.

"It's not my fault he hasn't seen it. It's literally been half a year now." Cheslock sat unresponsive, hair sticking to the window. One would've guessed he was acting for a dramatic music video, if not for Edward on his right, fast asleep on his shoulder and occasionally snorting quietly.

"It really doesn't help when you keep on making jokes about it. You don't feel so good, huh?" Clayton scowled, both at Soma's reasoning and the sight of the crisp packet ridden floor.

"Look, my point is that it's not my fault."

"I mean, it really is."

"If we've been holed up in college the entire time, what chance would we have had to see it anyways?" Clayton huffed, sinking down in his seat.

"I mean, everyone's seen it already."

"Illegally."

"Cheslock's the most illegal out of all of us. I mean, at least I didn't have plans to bring weed on a school"- he paused, sitting up a bit to look at the teachers in the front row. If the boys could hear their conversations about sneaking off to a club at night and leaving the students, then so to would the teachers hear about a particular weed head in the group. Returning quietly, Soma continued- "I'm actually smart about things."

Clayton scoffed.

"Cheslock? Without weed? You? Not being dumb for once? A stellar achievement."

Cheslock sat forward, baggy, dark-circled eyes squinting at Clayton. Edward's head slipped off his shoulder and hit the window. He was awake now.

"Look, I'm complimenting you."

Cheslock rolled his eyes. "Not bloody well."

Cheslock resigned, leaving Edward without his headrest as he switched attention straight to his phone.

A blame game started on why a simple meme had caused the destruction of one of the most obnoxious boys at school. Edward ended up shouldering the blame for no apparent reason, based on the fact that he didn't stop the equally annoying Soma and Clayton from opening their traps. A chivalrous gentleman he was. And a gentleman who didn't get enough sleep at that.

* * *

One could talk about their argument over the validity of 'The Mummy' as good for Tom Cruise's acting career, or their decision in forbidding Soma from touching the array of cheese he would surely shit out in disaster. But none of those conversations ever reached their conclusions. Maybe the bus driver had gotten them to the airport about ten minutes earlier than planned because speeding down the M4 seemed far better than listening to their stupid debate over so-called best girls.

As if to prove their earlier discourse, it was decided that Soma couldn't be trusted to go to the bathroom on his own.

"Hold his hand!" Cheslock called after them.

Edward most certainly did not hold his hand as they disappeared into the sea of passengers.

An hour before check-in, there would still be two more hours worth of wait past security. With the teachers crashing at the cafe to wait, there were only two other options to avoid an awkward conversation with them - a bookstore, and a pharmacy. The lamest of all choices. At this point, even the idea of talking to Professor Michaelis sounded interesting - and that man only ever talked about himself.

Clayton and Cheslock slinked outside. Taking to the bus shelter, the first thing that Cheslock had decided to do was finish up the last of the smokes in his pocket - the ones he forgot to leave in his dorm. He wouldn't be able to get his fix in another country. While Soma and Edward had drifted off on their toilet journey, Clayton sat on the metal bench, staring as Cheslock squatted beside it, taking a pack out of his pocket.

"You know," Clayton muttered not so discreetly. "You're gonna stink on the plane, and I don't want to sit next to you when you do."

"Then don't. I'm with Midford."

"Not what I meant. It's a no smoking trip. What if you get stopped before the terminals as well? You know they don't allow smoking at Heathrow, or any London airport for that matter."

"And that's why I'm doin' it out here." There were two left in the box. Two, not that Cheslock had taken one out.

"Then do it without me around. Or anyone. You're so anti you kn"- Clayton cut himself off, realising that Cheslock was conveniently wearing one of those tacky 'ANTI SOCIAL SOCIAL CLUB' shirts. "You could act like you actually have friends on the trip for once."

"Unlike you, I have many."

"Defeats the purpose of the shirt."

There was definitely something about Cheslock that irked Clayton down to his weak and lanky bones. It wasn't something that set him off like a fault alarm in a pub, and yet… watching Cheslock light up a cigarette was just annoying. Maybe it was the idea of not being offered one that annoyed him? Well, there was a certain satisfaction in being asked, even if he'd definitely say no.

"I would'a left them back in the dorms but… you know what our caretaker's like, yeah? Last time she took a joint I forgot on my dresser. Didn't get told off for it, but she ended up taking it for herself."

"W…What kind of caretaker do you lot have?"

Cheslock rolled his eyes. "Look, I just ain't leaving this stuff lying about."

"Then hide it. Only an absolute fuckwit like you would leave their weed. Just lounging about."

"Like you're one to lecture me though. The last thing you hid from your dorm staff was some fucked up… what's the word? Doujin? That. Yeah. Weebs can choke." For emphasis, Cheslock raised his fag with a shit-eating grin. "Weed is better than whatever you're into."

"That thing wasn't that bad."

"Piss is bad, Clayton."

"There just so happened to be something like that."

"God. You are just so damn gross. I can't believe you'd willingly piss on your girlfriend."

"Cheslock, I'm not into piss. And I don't have a girlfriend."

"I'd be scared for her if you did." Cheslock took a long drag of his cigarette, then exhaled, watching the brilliance of his smoke curl out.

"I mean, it's no surprise that you're not seeing anyone. It's cause of"-

"I'd pay a full ten quid to kill you."

"That attitude. You know I'm at least two tenners."

Whether or not he was choking from laughter or smoke, Clayton couldn't tell.

"I'm saying just ten cause I need the rest for Starbucks." He stood up, fanning away the smoke far too dramatically. "Since I'm so good, I'm going to get something for you too."

"I'm not paying you interest again. Twenty percent my fucking ass."

"Iced Americano for una puttana. Gotcha."

"Fam. I'm literally not going to pay for that."

"I know, you're over a hundred in debt to me already."

"Then stop buying"-

"I'm saving money by buying Kadar some tea. I won't charge you for this then."

"Flat white for Midford."

"They piss too much." Clayton sighed, shouldering his rucksack. He dropped it again, remembering that "you should just look after this. Don't blow anything on my"- Cheslock turned himself away and blew smoke up into the air -"bag. Well, thanks."

"I can't believe you know my order though."

"Your order is the only thing you've had on your Insta account since Year Ten. It's not that big of a deal for me to know."

He'd ask why Clayton knew of his old account but decided against it. Clayton huffed and walked off to the airport. Soon enough, Edward and Soma returned not even a minute after Clayton had disappeared. Now, Cheslock was on his second one.

"Have a good piss?"

Edward glared down at Cheslock.

"You know… you could sit down, here. On the bench. Like a normal person," Edward suggested. He raised his foot, edging closer and closer to Cheslock. "Just one kick aaaaand…"

"Land your dusty trainers on me, I'll deck you."

Edward pulled his foot away.

"Just come inside, you look dumb out here."

"As always?"

"Definitely as always. But, you should get a chance to freshen up when you're done with that. If you get caught"-

"I'll give them my last one. They can fight over it. Though, I was hoping to give this one to you."

Edward raised an eyebrow, turning back to Soma who'd already silenced himself with the help of his earbuds.

"Well, it has been a while."

"A while?"

"I quit." Edward propped a foot up on the seat, eyeing the cigarette warily. "Well, I just never told anyone I smoked. I just didn't get into a proper habit."

"Wow. You're perfect. You actually have working lungs."

"No shit." He sighed, a slight smile at the corners of his lips. "But, if you're being so romantic, I guess I have no choice."

"Obviously, it's my confession? What kind of person gives up their last one? I mean, even if they are tryna get rid of them. But for you? I'd give it all up." The two laughed.

Edward's smile was… a little cool.

Holding a cigarette, he seemed like he could be a little edgy. Ripped jeans and all, he didn't stick out so much. He fit in with normal people. That was easy for him. Cheslock couldn't help but admire that smile. It was grossly cool.

Maybe Edward was relieved that they'd been matched up as roommates, boarding buddies if you will. What sort of convenience had shone down on them for practically everyone else in their houses to be matched up with each other… and be the odd two - surely a responsible duo like Edward and Cheslock could be trusted alone at night.

Looking after the kids would be enough. Little lads aged thirteen and up were under their management, and a poor one with Cheslock at that. Seven sixth formers to twenty kids was a terrifying ratio, but with those six other boys… Cheslock didn't mind how things were.

"Well, you're the best kind of person." Edward graciously took the lighter that was handed to him, holding the smoke between his teeth. The flame flickered out. "Huh." His brow furrowed as he struggled to light the cigarette.

"It's shit, sorry."

Edward nodded, finally lighting it.

"I'll buy you a new one while we're there." Edward held his light between his first knuckles, closer to his palm. What a prat. Acting all cool like he knew what he was doing. "Makes it special if you get it somewhere else."

Cheslock stared down at his own cig between his second and third knuckles like he actually knew what he was doing. He felt a little sorry for Soma who simply sat there watching them, not wanting to get involved by their bad influence and holding his breath in a bit every time the two exhaled.

It never occurred to Cheslock, not until now, that this would be their last year. Not even, with tutors hammering on about how time catches up quicker than one would think. "We know," Cheslock would mutter every time, like every other boy - no - like every other man in the class. They were men now. Right? The lot of them were coming up on their eighteenth.

Last academic year could have been better, to put things lightly. In March, Cheslock had been threatened with expulsion, and in the summer, the principal was replaced - that, and other sorts of complications, were the excuses that Cheslock used to explain why he was failing. With him gone, the rest of the leadership team would see it easier to throw away another bad nut. The summer came way too early this time, a blistering temperature for any Brit. 20° was almost unthinkable.

For Cheslock, who'd been trapped in school for catch-up, it was far from a trip to Ibiza which every single lad seemed to brag about on Snapchat. Whenever he heard people saying what a wonderful summer it was, he couldn't relate - he only thought of the stack of books on his desk and the horrid scratching of worn down pencils against the papers that just never seemed to end. The thought of guys on this trip who still hadn't learned how to handle deodorant hung like a nightmare in Cheslock's mind. It was a miracle he was only 'friends' with people who'd managed that simple task. There were good reasons to wish the summer over.

Yet for some reason still, Cheslock wanted this Autumn half term with Edward to last a little longer.


End file.
